With a million things to do, a gigantic assortment of tasty nourishment, warm-hearted individuals, parcels of climbing openings, and wonderful buildings and sanctuaries, Taiwan has it all.
Yet, in spite of that, it remains one of the most underrated — and undervisted — nations in Asia.
On the one hand, I like that it’s still generally off the radar since that implies less swarms. You’ll never see as well numerous individuals traveling around Taiwan. It’s, to utilize the cliche, a covered up pearl you have (for the most part) to yourself. There are no swarms of individuals attempting to take selfies for Instagram.
On the other hand, it’s a disgrace individuals don’t make Taiwan a greater travel need since it’s so brilliant and has so much going for it. This is a nation that merits way more consideration than it is given.
And, what’s incredible for budget travelers like us, is that Taiwan is too super affordable.
It’s on a level of cheapness comparable to parts of Southeast Asia, with numerous dinners costing as it were a few dollars. Indeed when I “splurged” on a feast like a high-end sushi omakase, I went through less than 1,200 TWD!
Taiwan is a dream goal for those looking to get a parcel of esteem for their money.
Today, I’m going to break down a few commonplace costs in Taiwan, my recommended budgets, and ways to spare cash whereas you’re here.
Typical Costs
View ignoring the excellent scene of the island of Taiwan on a sunny day
Taiwan is lovely cheap so, as long as you don’t eat at high-end eateries or remain at upscale inns, you won’t be hard-pressed to spend a part of cash. Here’s a list of ordinary costs in unused Taiwan dollars (TWD):
- Noodle soup – 40-60 TWD
- Noodles – 50-70 TWD
- Rice – 100 TWD
- Lunch boxes – 125-150 TWD
- MosBurger (best quick nourishment burger joint) – 200 TWD
- Museum section – 30-200 TWD
- Metro ride – 20-65 TWD
- Taxi – 85 (furthermore 25 per kilometer) TWD
- Intercity prepare ride – 250-900 TWD
- High-speed rail (HSR) – 290-1,500 TWD
- Hostel dorm – 500-900 TWD per night
- Hostel private room – 1,200-1,900 TWD per night
How Much Did I Spend?
Hilltop see of a street vanishing around the best of the mountain
Over 13 days, I went through a add up to of 29,273 TWD (2,252 TWD per day). Presently, my notes were a bit less than completely point by point towards the conclusion of my trip and I can’t discover a few receipts so I’m going to circular this up to an indeed 2,375 TWD per day.
That’s really a parcel more than I thought I went through. I had to do the numbers twice but more on that in a moment. Here’s how those costs broke down:
- Food – 8,597 TWD
- Accommodation – 13,351 TWD
- Tours/Museums – 1,410 TWD
- Transportation – 5,915 TWD
So why did I spend so much cash in a nation that I said fair was “super cheap”? I cruel $80 is way more than Southeast Asia levels. Well, it has more to do with me than travel in Taiwan:
First, I remained in private rooms. At three to four times the fetched of a dorm, that includes up rapidly. I don’t like dorms since I’m a light sleeper and, since I was traveling alone, I didn’t have anybody to part the taken a toll of the room with.
Second, I took a parcel of high-speed trains. Those tickets were 600-1,200 TWD per ride versus 150-300 TWD for the customary prepare. Since I had small time and a part of ground to cover, that drove up my costs.
Third, I took a few private visits as I needed a nearby direct for myself so I might inquire a battery of questions almost life in Taiwan. I appreciate doing that over gather visits, particularly when I am inquiring about goals for guides like I was amid this visit.
And, at long last, in an exertion to eat as much as conceivable, I likely had 3-4 suppers a day, counting numerous high-end eateries and Western nourishment. That sum of nourishment truly shrank my wallet (but tragically not my waistline). I’m talking a Hobbit level of eating here:
Those four things drove up my every day normal to levels your normal traveler/backpacker wouldn’t hit in such a brief time.
How Much Do YOU need?
So, with that said, how much do you require to travel around Taiwan?
If you duplicated my trip, I think around 2,500-2,700 TWD per day would be sufficient. That’s a better than average mid-range budget and you wouldn’t need for anything. It would cover cheap private convenience, a few high-speed trains, a few visits and exercises, and a sound sum of nourishment and drinks.
If you’re on a hiker budget, you require around 1,050 TWD per day. A dorm room costs you around 500 TWD, dinners are 90-150 TWD each, and lager is lovely cheap. Taking standard (slower) trains would spare a few more dollars a day as well.
In brief, whether you’re a hiker or fair a normal budget traveler, you’re never going to spend a colossal sum here. Exterior convenience and high-end nourishment, everything in the nation is super cheap.
How to Spare Cash in Taiwan
The towering horizon of Taipei, highlighting Taipei 101 in Taiwan
If you’re looking to spend indeed less cash and get a few great bargains, here are things that can lower your costs indeed more:
1. Skip the High-Speed Rails (HSR)
The high-speed trains in Taiwan are super helpful (in spite of the fact that they as it were go down the west side of the island): they leave each 15 minutes and the travel between Taipei and Kaohsiung (the most southern point) as it were takes 1 hour and 50 minutes.
However, they are moreover exceptionally costly: a ticket from Taipei to Kaohsiung costs around 1,500 TWD (one-way). On the other hand, the “local” trains are half the cost at fair 650-900 TWD (Taipei to Tainan is fair 600-800 TWD on the neighborhood prepare whereas Taipei to Taichung is fair 250-375 TWD).
Plus, the HSR line doesn’t pass through city centers, so you’ll either require to take a transport or prepare from the HSR station, costing more time and money.
So, if you need to spare cash and aren’t in a surge, skip the HSR trains.
2. Remain in Hostels
In Taipei, lodging dorms can be found for 550-700 TWD per night for 6-10-bed rooms. Private rooms in lodgings can be had for 1,600-2,200 TWD per night.
Also, skip lodging private rooms. A essential two-star inn will taken a toll 1,200-1,500 TWD, making it a superior budget choice if you need privacy.
3. Eat at the Nourishment Markets
The nourishment in Taiwan is world-class. I didn’t appreciate it much when I lived there back in 2010, but presently I realize fair how different, top notch, and solid the nourishment is. Each town is littered with day and night markets. If you need to spare cash on nourishment (and it’s exceptionally simple to do that here), eating the neighborhood nourishment at these markets is the best way to eat on a budget.
And, indeed if you incline toward a sit-down eatery, you’re looking at 125-170 TWD for a dinner at a put serving Taiwanese cuisine.
Eat nearby = spare big!
4. Dodge Western Food
I cruel, you didn’t come all this way to eat a terrible adaptation of the nourishment you can get back domestic, right? You can discover each Western dish your heart wants in Taiwan but they are going to be much more costly than the neighborhood nourishment (a quick nourishment combo is around 150 TWD, for illustration). So, skip Western nourishment. I never found anything that incredible and Taiwanese food is way more scrumptious and filled with such assortment that you’re not going to get tired of “eating the same thing” over and over again.
5. Take Free Strolling Tours
One of the to begin with things I do when I arrive in a unused goal is take a free strolling visit. They allow you the lay of the arrive, appear you the primary highlights of the city, and give you with a nearby direct who can reply your questions.
Like It Formosa is the best walking-tour company in Taiwan, advertising visits in Taipei, Jiufen, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. Its visits have a social and chronicled center, making them a awesome establishment for your visit.
And, if you’re in Taipei and need something more enthusiastic, Visit Me Absent offers free visits as well as bar slithers beginning at 700 TWD per individual. They’re a great choice for hikers looking to meet other travelers.
6. Take the Bus
Intercity coach buses are accessible to all major cities around Taiwan, counting Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. They are comfortable, advanced, secure, and have discuss conditioning (as well much, as a rule, so bring a sweater).
A transport from Taipei to Kaohsiung takes around five hours and costs 300-500 TWD depending on what day and time you depart.
The two fundamental intercollegiate transport companies are Ubus and Kuo-Kuang Transport. For admissions and timetable data, visit taiwanbus.tw.
7. Take in the Free Attractions
There are bounty of free sanctuaries, hallowed places, galleries, and parks around the nation. There’s more than sufficient to fill your days. I never had a issue meandering around the cities and finding things to do that didn’t fetched a penny. Your neighborhood settlement or direct book or Google can tell you what to do.
8. Go Hiking
Spend your days climbing Taiwan’s numerous mountains and trails. Taiwan is filled with national parks. The nation is so little that you are never distant from any stop, they are well associated to open transportation, and they are all free.
Taiwan is an inconceivably reasonable goal . To me, it’s on standard with a few goals in Southeast Asia since the nourishment was cheap and so numerous exercises were free. You get a parcel of esteem here. So, if you’re looking for an uncrowded and reasonable put to visit, Taiwan is it.
